Salvia plant named ‘Balsalmisp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Balsalmisp’ characterized by its indigo-colored flowers, floriferousness, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, compact and upright growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Salvia×hybrida.

Variety denomination. ‘Balsalmisp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salviaplant botanically known as Salvia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to bythe cultivar name ‘Balsalmisp’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Illinoisduring May 2003. The objective of the breeding program was thedevelopment of Salvia cultivars with compact and well branched growthhabits.

The new cultivar is an irradiation induced sport of ‘Indigo Spires’, notpatented, characterized by its indigo-colored flowers, darkgreen-colored foliage, and upright growth habit. The irradiationoccurred on May 20, 2003. The new cultivar was discovered and selectedduring August 2003 in a controlled environment at Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceAugust 2003 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with allcharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balsalmisp’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Indigo-colored flowers;    -   2. Floriferousness;    -   3. Dark green-colored foliage; and    -   4. Vigorous, compact and upright growth habit.

While other differences exist, plants of the new cultivar differ fromplants of the parent ‘Indio Spires’ primarily in growth habit. The newcultivar has shorter internodes, making it a more compact plant.

Of the many commercially available Salvia cultivars known to theinventors, the most similar to comparison to the new cultivar is theparent cultivar ‘Indigo Spires’, not patented. However, in side by sidecomparisons, plants of the new cultivar differed from plants of ‘IndigoSpires’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are more compact than plants of        ‘Indigo Spires’;    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have shorter internodes than        plants of ‘Indigo Spires’; and    -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Indigo Spires’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balsalmisp’. Theplants were grown in 10 cm pots for 7 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balsalmisp’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of a single inflorescence of‘Balsalmisp’ beginning to flower.

FIG. 3 illustrates a single inflorescence of ‘Balsalmisp’ withapproximately one-third of the flowers open.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a single flower of ‘Balsalmisp’.

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of a single flower of ‘Balsalmisp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Jul. 11, 2005 between 3:00p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 7 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 80° F. (21° C.to 26° C.) during and approximately 62° F. to 68° F. (17° C. to 20° C.)during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 5,000 to 10,000 footcandleswere maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia×hybrida cultivar Balsalmisp.-   Parentage:    -   -   Parent.—‘Indigo Spires’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 5 to 8 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 42            days.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 6 to 8 weeks from a rooted cutting.        -   Type.—Perennial.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—vigorous, upright, and            compact.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 50.8 cm. Height from soil level to top of            foliage: Approximately 32.6 cm. Width: Approximately 38.2            cm.        -   Branch.—Quantity: Approximately 2 primary branches with            lateral branches forming potentially at every node. Shape:            Square in cross section. Strength: Strong. Length of primary            branch: Approximately 15.3 cm. Diameter of primary branch:            Approximately 6.6 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent with            appressed soft, short hairs with longer hairs at nodes.            Color: 138A with streaks of N187A. Internode length at            center of branch: Approximately 3.5 cm.        -   Foliage.—Number of leaves per main branch: Approximately 8.            Fragrance: Strong. sage-like. Form: Simple. Arrangement:            Opposite. Aspect: At obtuse angle to stem. Shape:            Ovate/elliptic. Margin: Crenate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 8.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            4.8 cm. Texture of upper surface: Puberulent, rugose.            Texture of lower surface: Puberulent with long hairs along            the veins. Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Closest            to 139A with venation of 145C. Color of lower surface of            mature foliage: Closest to between 137A and 137B with            venation of 145C. Petiole length: Approximately 3.6 cm.            Petiole diameter: Approximately 1.9 mm. Petiole shape:            Square in cross section. Petiole texture: Densely pubescent            with appressed soft, short hairs. Petiole color: 145C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balsalmisp’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from spring through autumn and year round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 12.5 weeks from sticking            of unrooted cutting.        -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 5 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Type.—Flowers arranged in verticillasters on spikes.        -   Number per plant with at least one open            flower.—Approximately 5 spikes of 7 weeks.        -   Number of fully open flowers per            verticillastic.—Approximately 3.        -   Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Erect. Length: Approximately 5 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture: Pubescent with short,            appressed hairs. Color: 144A along the center of each side            and 148B overlain with 86B along all four edges.-   Flower description:    -   -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes approximately 2 days            for bud to progress from first color to fully open flower.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: Approximately            8.3 mm. Diameter; Approximately 4.0 mm. Color: 89B.        -   Type.—Single, labiate. Flowers are persistent with a faint,            sweet fragrance.

Flower size.—Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. Width: Approximately 6.6 mm.Depth: Approximately 6.4 mm.

-   -   -   Aspect.—Facing outward.        -   Petals.—Quantity: One upper lip and one lower lip with four            lobes. Lips are fused at base.        -   Upper lip.—Shape: Ovate with revolute edges. Apex: Obtuse.            Margin: Entire. Length from throat: Approximately 6.0 mm.            Width: Approximately 1.9 mm. Texture of upper surface:            Densely pubescent. Texture of lower surfaces: Glabrous.            Color of upper surface: Between N88A and N89B. Color of            lower surface: 86A.        -   Lower lip.—Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Length of each central lobe from throat: Approximately            3.0 mm. Width of each central lobe; Approximately 1.9 mm.            Length of each lateral lobe; Approximately 5.0 mm. Width of            each lateral lobe: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper            surface of all lobes: Glabrous. Texture of lower surface of            all lobes: Densely pubescent. Color of upper surface of all            lobes: N88B. Color of lower surface of all lobes: N88C with            margin of N88B.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Acute angle to            stem. Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately            0.4 mm. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 150A.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular. Height: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width:            Approximately 3.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 2, fused to form a tube. Shape:            Triangular. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire. Sepal length:            Approximately 7.0 mm. Sepals width: Approximately 4.0 mm.            Texture of upper or inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of            lower or outer surface: Lanate. Color of upper surface: 139D            with N88B at margin of apex. Color of lower surface: 138D at            base, 93A at apex.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2. Stamen            length: 7.0 mm. Filament color: Transparent with a touch of            94D along edges. Anther shape: Very narrowly elliptic.            Anther length: Approximately 1.4 mm. Anther color: N92B.            Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity:            One per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 8.6 mm. Stigma            shape: Two-parted, cleft. Stigma length: Approximately            1.5 mm. Stigma color: 93B. Style length: Approximately            5.5 mm. Style color: Colorless, opaque. Ovary length:            Approximately 1.6 mm. Ovary texture: Glabrous. Ovary color:            154D, transparent.

-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed not fruit production has    been observed.

-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Salvia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Balsalmisp’,substantially as herein shown and described.